Patson Daka blew a fine chance to score in Leicester City’s Carabao Cup defeat by Newcastle on Tuesday night, choosing to pass rather than shoot when through on goal
Brendan Rodgers hopes Patson Daka learns a valuable lesson from Leicester City’s defeat to Newcastle as the Zambian striker endures his longest run without a goal.
While City were dismantled by Newcastle in their Carabao Cup exit, they did have a fine opportunity to score in the first half, when the match was still goalless. But Daka, played through by Timothy Castagne, attempted to find Harvey Barnes at the back post rather than take a strike at goal. Kieran Trippier intercepted.
Failing to find the net on Tuesday night means Daka is now on an 11-game run without a goal, his longest such streak since arriving at City in the summer of 2021. His last game on the scoresheet was away at Bournemouth in early October.
Having seen a good chance go begging, Rodgers now hopes Daka takes the shot on next time he is in a similar position. Asked if Daka’s decision was evidence of his lack of confidence, the manager said: “It may be. He worked very hard. We worked the ball very well to get into that area, and you’re hoping he could strike it across the keeper.
“Strikers can have that with confidence. He just felt it was best to try to square it to Barnesy. He must have felt he was there. Next time, he will hopefully learn and get the shot off.”
Between them, Daka, Jamie Vardy, and Kelechi Iheanacho scored 36 goals last term, but at the halfway point of this season, they have just a quarter of that total, with nine. That’s not an overwhelming concern for Rodgers if they are still contributing.
The manager said earlier in the week: “It’s supporting the players. Sometimes they’ve not had the opportunities presented to them.
“As long as I get the intensity from my strikers… Of course they want to score and I want them to score, but it’s more than that for me. It’s the intensity they can bring to the game that creates space for other players. I’m sure the goals will come for Patson.”
By Leicester Mercury
